Drop-light bracket



A. L. MCNAUGHTON.

DROP LIGHTBRACKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1919.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920. I

3 SHEETS- SHEET I.

1741 ve7a for. A .10. zvc/Vm g/uzw Q9 0J fltta 6 A. L. MCNAUGHTON.

DROP LIGHT BRACKET.

APPUCATION FILED MAR. 26, 1919.

Patented N 0v. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Zia/8716 01" A. L. MCNAUGHTON.

DROP LIGHT BRACKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1919.

1 57,295, Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

i v l I 26 2725 :1 i6 I A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DER LORNE MCNAUG'HTON, OF KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

DROP-LIGHT BRACKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1919. Serial No. 285,322.

The invention has as a further object to provide a bracket which may be securely.

clamped to a support and which may be connectcd to either a vertical or horizontalv supsort.

1 And the invention has as a still further obj ect to provide a bracket employing a readily detachable holder for an electric light socket, the holder being so constructed that 251the socket itself is readily detachable there from, so that the drop light either with or without the socket holder may be. detached from the bracket and moved about.

Other and incidental objects will appearhereinafter. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective'view illustrating the bracket connected to a vertical support,

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showin the device connected to a horizontal su port,

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction. of the .arrows,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the bracket arm and base of the device in detail,

the socket holder employed being detached,

Fig. 5 is a medial horizontal sectional view of the bracket arm and base taken at substantially right angles to Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the clamping slide employed in detail,

-Fig. 8 is a perspective View showing the lamp socket holder in detail, and

Fig. 9 is an elevation showing a conventional lamp socket modified for use in connection with the present.invention.

In carrying the invention into effect I employ an angle shaped base 10 the sides of which are preferably provided with facings In Figs. 1, 4 and 6 I have conventionally shown a vertical support 12 while in Fig. 2 I have similarly shown a horizontal support at 12'. As will be clear the facings will, in each instance, contact with the support to prevent marring thereof. Projectmg from the base medially thereof and integral therewith is a laterally directed 1101- low arm 13 preferably square in cross sec tion. This arm may be formed of suitablev sheet metal as may also the base 10, and riveted or otherwise secured to the inner sides Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

of the top and bottom walls of the arm are longitudinally directed medial guide strips 14. Adjustable withinthe arm is a clamping sllde or yoke. This slide is shown in detail in Fig. 7 of the drawings and, as there illustrated, is substantially U-shapedbe- 1ng fo rmed with spaced parallel side plates 15 oined by a connecting plate 16. The plate l6is cut away at its top and bottom edges to receive the guide strips 14 while the plates 15 confront opposite edges of these strips fitting snugly between the top and bottom walls of the arm. The slide will thus be centered within the arm by the guide strips and directed in its movements longitud nally of the arm thereby. Associated with the slide is an adjusting screw 17 therefor. This screw is freely received through a suitable opening formed centrally of the outer end wall of the arm and is provided with a terminal head 18 which is preferably milled so that the screw may be easily rotated. Formed on the screw is a reduced smooth inner end portion 19. This reduced inner end portion of the screw is adapted to loosely fit within a threaded opening 20 formed centrally. in the connecting plate 16 of the slide and threaded axially into the inner terminal of the screw isa head 21 connecting'the slide with the screw. In this connection it will, of course, be understood that the threaded portion of the screw is adapted to engage within the threaded open-.

ing 20 of the slide so that upon rotation of the screw the slide will be adjusted longitudinally in the bracket arm.

Fixed within the outer ends of the side plates 15 of the clamping slide are outwardly directed lateral stud 22 and extending through the plates in a plane somewhat below and in the rear of these studs is a'rod 23. Swiveled upon the endsof this rod at the outer sides of the plates, are

arms 24 and loosely connected with these arms are clamping nuts 25 adapted to engage the studs 22. As will be clear,this con struction provides an arrangement whereby the nuts may be readily fitted upon the studs or may be swung to a position out of the way, accidental loss of the nuts being' prevented. The studs carry a flexible attaching band 26. This band may be formed of leather or other approved material and, adjacent each end, is provided with a series of spaced eyelets 27. series may be selectively fitted over the respective studs for adjustably connecting the strap with the clamping slide when the nuts 25 may be engaged with the studs for clamping the trap in position thereon.

As will now be readily understood in view of the preceding description, the slide 'may, when disengaged from the threaded portion of the clamping screw 17, be shifted rear wardly Within the bracket arm 13 over the reduced inner end portion of the screw until the slide projects, as shown in Fig. 5, at the rear of the bracket. One end of the attaching band 26 may then be freed from the slide, passed around the support 12 and again connected with theslide. This done, the slide is then sh-ifted forwardly within the bracket arm-until the threaded portion of the clamping screw engages within the opening 20 of the slide when, by rotating the screw the slide will, as shown in Fig. 6, be retracted within the bracket .arm for firmly clamping the arm upon the support. The bracket may thus be readily applied and in this connection it will be noted that, owing to the length of the attaching strap and its adjustable connection with the clamping slide, the device may be easily engaged with different sized supports. Furthermore, the device may, as shown in the drawings, be connected with a round support or may, with equal facility, be connected with a square or angular support, in which latter event the sides of the base 10 will be fitted around one of the angles of the support.

Removably fitted over the outer end of the bracket arm is a socket holder, shown in detail in Fig. 8 of the drawings. This socket holder includes a rectangular base 28 adapted to slidably fit over the outer end of the bracket arm and having threaded through opposite sides thereof, thumb screws 29 adapted to loosely engage within suit able openings formed in the top and bottom walls of said arm. Hingedly mounted upon the base 28 is a housin cap 30 normally held closed by a suita le catch 31. Formed in the top wall of this cap is a keyhole slot 32 while one side wall of the cap is provided with a slot 233. The cap is open at its lower side. The socket holder is designed to carry an electric light socket and inthe drawings I have-conventionally shownsuch a socket at 34, thissocket being provided The eyelets of each with the usual switch key 35. However, in

slot 33 in.the holder is positioned to receive theswitch key 85 therethrough. Thus the socket will be firmly supported upon the holder to carry an electric lamp as conventionally illustrated at 38.

In view ofthe foregoing description, it will now be clear that I provide a bracket which may be readily connected to a bedstead or other suitable support for sustaining the lamp 38 in position convenient for reading. Should it be desired to move the lamp about this may readily be done by simply releasing the thumb screws 29 and detaching the socket holder, when the lamp with the holder thereon may be carried. from place to place. On the other hand, should it be desired to employ the lamp without the socket holder, the spring catch 31 may be released, the housing cap of the socket holder swung open, the clamping nut 37 released,. the threaded nipple 36 dropped through the keyhole slot 32 and the electric wire passed out through the narrow part of said slot when'the lamp will'be freed. By reversing the operation by which the lamp has been disconnected from the bracket arm, it may as readily be again connected therewith. Furthermore, it is to be noted that since the housing cap of the socket holder is hingedly mounted, access to the head 18 of the clamping screw 17 may be had by simply swinging open said cap. Consequently, the bracket may easily be connected to or disconnected from its sup port without removing the sock holder or detaching the lamp socket t' arefrom. In Fig. 2 I have shown the-device connected to a horizontal support 12. When sopositioned it will be observed that the socket holder is arranged upon the bracket arm at right angles to the position of the holder shown in Fig. 1. This is necessary in order that the holder may sustain the lamp 38 order to adapt the socket to the present in- .ventlon a nipple 36 is threaded into the in vertical position depending from the holder. Accordingly, the side walls of the thumb screws may be-engaged through said openings for rigidly connecting the holder with the arm. Consequently, the bracket arm may be connected with either a vertical or horizontal support and the socket holder positioned upon. the bracket arm to, l

in each instance, properly support the lamp.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

l. A lamp bracket including a base, a hol-' low bracket arm projecting therefrom, a

slide shiftable within said arm, studs proj ecting from the slide, clamping means normally carried by said studs, an attaching band engaged at its ends with the studs and held by said clamping means, means for shifting the slide within the arm for tightening the band about a support, and lamp supporting means carried by the bracket arm.

2. A lamp bracket including a base, a hol low bracket arm projecting therefrom, guide strips within the bracket arm, a slide shiftable within the arm and engaged with said strips, an attaching band connected with the slide, means for shifting the slide within the arm to tighten said'band about a support, and lamp supporting means carried by the bracket arm.

3. A lamp bracket including a base, a

bracket arm projecting therefrom, means for.

connecting the bracket with a support, means operable from the outer end of said arm for adjusting said first mentioned means, and lamp supporting means connected with the outer end of the bracket arm and including a housing cap shiftable to expose said last mentioned means.

4. A lamp bracket including a base, a bracket arm projecting therefrom, and a socket holder carried by the arm, said socket holder including a base fitting over the arm at its outer end, and a housing cap swingingly connected to the base and adapted to receive an electric lamp socket.

5. A lamp bracket including a base, a bracket arm projecting therefrom, and a socket holder carried by said arm, said socket holder including a base fitting over the arm at its outer end, means detachably connecting the base with the arm, and a housing cap swingingly connected to the base and formed to receive an electric lamp socket therein.

6. A lamp bracket including a base, a hollow bracket arm projecting therefrom, guide gagement with a support.

8. In a lamp bracket, a tubular arm provided at its inner end with angularly dis posed portions forming a base, the inner end of the arm being open between said portions, a slide shiftable longitudinally within the arm toward or away from the base, a flexible element connected to the slide through the inner open end of said arm, and means for adjustably shifting the slide and tightening said element about a support.

9. A lamp bracket including a base, a bracket arm projecting therefrom, a housing carried by the bracket arm including a base portion secured to the arm, a housing cap swingingly connected to the base portion normally held closed, and a lamp socket removably fitted within the cap and held against removal therefrom when the cap is closed, the cap being movable to open position for permitting removal of the socket therefrom.

10. A lamp bracket including a base, a

hollow bracket arm projecting therefrom, a-

sli'de shift'able within the arm, support engaging means connected with the slide, and a clamping screw coacting with the slide having a smooth portion for permitting free movement of the slide longitudinally of the screw and a threaded portion to engage the slide for adj ustably shifting the slide within the bracket arm and tightening said means ALEXANDER LORNE McNAUGHTON. [L. s.] 

